Owen Update

Wow, my last post actually generated quite a bit of discussion among my mommy friends, in the computer and in real life. (I got several emails from people too). Nice to know I'm not the only one hearing this.

So, this is a post mainly for Auntie Kristi, who called last Friday (at 2 am her local time, no less!) but Owen and I were at a playdate with pretty much every other baby that we know (there were 8 babies total, 4 boys, 4 girls, over at Laura and Blake's house. It was so fun! Laura is the girl who is whipping us all into shape at StrollerFit, so she wanted a chance for us all to play together without her having to "boss" us.)

Anyway, we're very VERY sorry that we missed Auntie Kristi's call, especially since it sounds like she and Hunkie Unkie are having lots of fun adventures in Bangkok. We are having fewer adventures, but no less fun, so here is an Owen Update, on all the fun things he does now.

Hmm, number one is reach for anything and everything (he is beside me here in the office, happily emptying the paper recycling bin as I type.) He can have a million toys in front of him, but that is never as good as something that seems JUST OUT OF REACH... until he reaches it. He's also very big into other babies' toys. Even if he's just stolen someone's toy, he'll keep reaching for whatever else they get until he has everything. A few weeks ago we met to work out at Alaine and Madison's home (Alaine has lots of nice workout stuff in her basement, so it was a change of pace from the track) and had all the babies playing together on a mat. Owen was Mr. Grabby Hands until he had everything! And last week, we went to a Tupperware party at Kristyn and Abby's house, where Owen got to play with Abby and Lola. Lots of counter-swiping seemed to be going on there, which was fun, until Andrea got out a water bottle for Lola to play with. It was like a baby mosh pit, with EVERYONE diving for that bottle! We had to separate them. (Especially since the girls have hair, and Owen pulls hair.)

So, those are some early lessons we are working on. "Gentle", "Don't pull hair", "Hands to yourself, please" and "Not for babies!" "Give that to Mummy, please!" get said a lot. I'm glad he's working out how to reach for things, but I would really prefer that my son not be the group bully!

Owen has also figured out (somewhat) the basketball hoop he got for Christmas. It talks and lights up when you put something through the hoop, so he'll throw anything (soother, stuffed animal, any ball he can grab) through the hoop. But the sensor on it is quite near the top of the rim, so he also knows that if he grabs onto the rim, it will also go off. So sometimes, he's content to just grab it, and chew on the rim. (This is a very short hoop, if you haven't guessed!)

On the movement front, still no crawling yet, but we are very close. Owen has no trouble sitting up for long periods of time, and will throw himself forward in the direction of anything he wants. If he doesn't quite get there, he does pushups until he realizes that they aren't getting him anywhere, and then he'll either roll over to get something else, or, if there's nothing in sight, he'll fuss. He still hasn't gotten up on all fours yet, so we think crawling is still a little ways away. But he loves to stand now, too. He'll reach for your hands, and use them to pull himself up to standing. Once he's up, his balance is getting better, we can prop him against his exersaucer and he'll stand against the outside playing with all the toys. Until he sees something on the floor that catches his attention, and then plop, down he goes.

He's also reaching to be picked up now. He had been just raising his arms a bit, but now, if I walk over to him and ask him if he wants Mama to pick him up, he reaches for me, which is great. And I get the big gummy grin too, of course.

And he's really REALLY working his vocals. We seem to mostly be through his screetch-toad phase (hee, can you guess where that nickname came from, Auntie Erica?) and he is really babbling up a storm these days. He's working the da-da-da-da-da and ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya sounds. Occasionally we get a ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba, and once in a blue moon, mum-mum-mum, (but mum-mum-mum and da-da-da-da are pretty indiscriminate). But if you ask him where Mummy/Mama or Daddy are, he'll look right at us. Actually, the other day, Steve was late coming home from work, and I said to Owen, "Where is Daddy? He's very late!" Owen looked right over at the door from the front hall to the living room, which is where he usually first sees Daddy when he comes home. Too cute!

Eating solids is going very well. Owen loves his rice cereal, and he's a pro at carrots and squash now. Cereal can be room temperature, but veggies have to be slightly warmed (my son, the connoisseur!) This week he's being introduced to sweet potato, and green beans. We have these great colourful bowls from IKEA that Aunt Tracey and Uncle Todd got Owen for Christmas, and Owen just gets so excited when he sees me take one out, because he knows it's time to eat!

So, some photos....

Helping Daddy play online poker (Owen looks worried, is Daddy bluffing?) :

Out in the snow with Mummy...

Having fun in the tubby:

Yum, enjoying some carrots:

And a general cuteness photo: